Benefits & Financial assistance after bereavement

Social Fund Funeral Payment

If you’re on a low income and need help to pay for a funeral you’re arranging, you may be able to get a Funeral Payment from the Social Fund. It is worth noting that you might have to repay some or all of it from the estate of the person who died, if it is found that there are sufficient funds.

Who is eligible?

be arranging a funeral in the UK, the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland

meet the rules on your relationship with the deceased

get certain benefits or tax credits

You may be eligible for a Funeral Payment from the Social Fund if you or your partner (The term partner is used here to mean, a person you are married to, or person you live with as if you are married to them, a civil partner, or person you live with as if you are civil partners) are getting any of the following benefits or tax credits:

Income Support

income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance

income-related Employment and Support Allowance

Pension Credit

Housing Benefit

the disability or severe disability element of Working Tax Credit

Child Tax Credit

Universal Credit

Your relationship with the person who has died.

To be eligible for a Funeral Payment you must also be either:

the partner of the deceased when they died

a close relative or close friend of the deceased

the parent of a baby still born after 24 weeks of pregnancy

the parent or person responsible for a deceased child who was under 16(or under 20 and in approved education or training)

Other money that is available

When how much help you can get is worked out, how much money (other than your personal savings) is available to help you with the cost of the funeral will also be looked at. This could include money available from the estate of the person who died, contributions received and money from, for example, insurance policies, but does not include the social security Bereavement Payment or money from certain government-funded trusts. To be eligible, the person who died must have been ordinarily resident in the UK and the funeral must usually be in the UK.

How much do you get?

A Funeral Payment includes necessary burial or cremation fees, certain other specified expenses and up to £700 for any other funeral expenses, like the:

Funeral director’s fees

Coffin or Flowers

If the person who died had a pre-paid funeral plan, you’ll only get help for items not already covered by the plan.

How to claim

Claim by phone by calling the Bereavement Service helpline.Bereavement Service Helpline Telephone: 0345 606 0265 Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm

An adviser will also help you claim any other bereavement benefits you might be entitled to.

You can also claim by post by downloading and filling in the claim form, then send it to the address on the form. Download from the www.gov.uk website.

How Funeral Payments are paid

All benefits, pensions and allowances are paid into the account of your choice, for example your bank account. If the funeral director’s bill has not already been paid, the Funeral Payment will usually be paid directly into the funeral director’s bank account. If the funeral director’s bill has been paid the payment will be made to you, to pass onto the funeral director.

Effect on other benefits

There is no effect on other benefits from having a Funeral Payment.

Benefits & Financial Help

In certain circumstances you may be able to claim certain benefits or one-off payments if you lived with or were dependent on the deceased. Generally time limits apply to make a claim so it is advisable to contact your nearest Jobcentre Plus as soon as possi- ble to find out if you are eligible. This is only a brief guide and other benefits may be available to you, for more information telephone your local Jobcentre Plus or Download the Bereavement Benefits claim pack from the Department of Work and Pensions Website

Bereavement Payment

Bereavement Allowance

Widowed Parents Allowance

We have included a brief summary of these benefits on the following pages

Widowed Parents Allowance

If you’re a parent whose husband, wife or civil partner has died and you have at least one child who you receive Child Benefit for, you may be able to get Widowed Parent’s Allowance (WPA).

your husband, wife or civil partner died before 6 April 2017

you’re under State Pension age

you’re entitled to Child Benefit for at least one child and your late husband, wife or civil partner was their parent

your late husband, wife or civil partner paid National Insurance contributions, or they died as a result of an industrial accident or disease.

You may also claim WPA if you’re pregnant and your husband has died, or you’re pregnant after fertility treatment and your civil partner has died.

You cannot claim if the following applies to you:

were divorced from your husband, wife or civil partner when they died

remarry or are living with another person as if you’re married to them or as if you’ve formed a civil partnership

were over State Pension age when you were widowed or became a surviving civil partner – you may be able to get extra State Pension

are in prison

The amount you get is based on how much your late husband, wife or civil partner paid in National Insurance contributions. In some cases, you may be entitled to an additional pension.

Bereavement Allowance

The bereavement allowance is a taxable weekly benefit, which is paid for up to 52 weeks after the death of your Husband, Wife or Civil Partner, if you are eligible. In order to apply you must meet the following criteria:

your husband, wife or civil partner died before 6 April 2017

you were 45 or over when your husband, wife or civil partner died

you’re under State Pension age

your late husband, wife or civil partner paid National Insurance contributions, or they died as a result of an industrial accident or disease

You cannot claim if the following applies to you:

are bringing up children – you can claim Widowed Parent’s Allowance instead

remarry or form a new civil partnership

live with another person as if you’re married or in a civil partnership

were divorced from your husband, wife or civil partner before their death

were over State Pension age when you were widowed or became a surviving civil partner – you may be able to get extra State Pension

are in prison

The amount that you get is based on the overall level of your husband, wife or civil partner’s National Insurance contributions and your age at the time of their death.

The £2,000 payment is a one-off tax-free lump sum. N.B. All benefits will be paid directly in a Bank Account

Supporting you along the way

If you wish to have a discussion with one of our funeral arrangers, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We can talk through yours and your loved one’s needs and discuss how we can best celebrate their life.